Windsor Fellowship
SHINE is a great believer in the value of extra classes on Saturday that are rigorously targeted and carefully planned. So we’re naturally very interested in new initiatives that also use weekends to help address a pressing need.
For example, every year a significant minority of capable secondary students underperform at GCSE level – often because of poor attitude, attendance or behaviour. So Windsor Fellowship provides support to teenagers from east London who risk falling short just when it matters most. Regular Saturday seminars over two years help them prepare for their exams by improving their learning skills and revision techniques. In return, Windsor expects all of them to achieve five good GCSEs and to make informed choices about their futures. We look forward to finding out how they get on.
The grant recipient
The Windsor Fellowship is a registered charity working with hundreds of young people each year. Historically, it has focused particularly on those of black and ethnic minority origin who are more likely to complete school without (or with fewer) qualifications and are less likely to find employment upon completing their degrees.
The Fellowship aims to improve academic achievement, encourage active citizenship and enhance young people's ability to secure employment and progress in industry, commerce, the professions, public administration and the arts. All their programmes target students at key stages in educational development and introduce participants to others of similar talent and motivation. In addition, the programmes focus on personal and academic development, provide tutoring from programme leaders who have succeeded in their field and partner with employers, educators, parents and carers.
The programme
What it aims to do
- extend the reach of the Junior Fellowship project to young people from more disadvantaged backgrounds in London
- support 70 students to get 5 A*-C GCSEs including English and maths, develop personally and have wider career opportunities
How it works
The Windsor Followship works with schools in Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Islington, Lambeth and Newham to target 14 year olds who have achieved the nationally expected level for their age but who have been identified as being at risk of not achieved good GCSEs (due to their current performance in lessons, attendance or behaviour). Students take part in a two year course of Saturday and residential learning, covering revision techniques, research skills, problem solving and personal development challenges.
Results
In 2008 all London students on the Junior Fellowship programme achieved 5 A*-C GCSEs.
The funding
SHINE has made a grant to cover all the running costs of this programme.
Funding: £96,992 to the Windsor Fellowship, over three years (2009-12)
Visit the Windsor Fellowship website: http://www.windsor-fellowship.org/
"JF motivated me to do well. It made me realise the sky was the limit and the future was in my hands. I was having problems at school, especially near to exams, but the JF tutors were brilliant. They made me realise I had a lot to prove to myself and my teachers."
Previous Junior Fellowship student
"If you take a back seat in life and do not take control then you are limiting your prospects for the future. JF helped me to realise the importance of leadership through many of the group tasks and helped me to be more active and in control."
Previous Junior Fellowship student
"I would recommend this scheme to any parent. It provided my daughter with a further insight into the importance of striving for success, making goals and achieving them."
Parent of previous Junior Fellowship student
Quotes
"JF motivated me to do well. It made me realise the sky was the limit and the future was in my hands. I was having problems at school, especially near to exams, but the JF tutors were brilliant. They made me realise I had a lot to prove to myself and my teachers."
Previous Junior Fellowship student
"If you take a back seat in life and do not take control then you are limiting your prospects for the future. JF helped me to realise the importance of leadership through many of the group tasks and helped me to be more active and in control."
Previous Junior Fellowship student
"I would recommend this scheme to any parent. It provided my daughter with a further insight into the importance of striving for success, making goals and achieving them."
Parent of previous Junior Fellowship student